Carrying tray

ABSTRACT

A tray with a pivot support in each corner with carrying handles on the opposite ends of the tray being foldable on said pivots to the bottom of the tray and which can be extended into upright position for carrying a loaded tray. Each end structure for the pivots forms a downwardly open nesting pocket and an upwardly extended nesting flange so formed that the trays with the folded handles can be nested one on top of the other. Each pivot is so positioned relatively to the handle and the bottom of the tray that the pivot flange of the handle bears against the bottom in the upright position. Each handle has a central opening with opposite curved edge flanges to form a grip, and in the preferred form has a bracing flange adapted to the clamp over the top nesting flange of the adjacent end member.

United States Patent Wisecarver Mar. 14, 1972 [54] CARRYING TRAY 21]Appl. No.: 67,044

[52] US. Cl. ..224/48 R, 214/10.5 R [51] Int. Cl ..A47g 23/06 [58] Fieldof Search ..214/10.5 R; 224/48 R, 48 B,

224/48 D, 48 E, 48 F, 45 G, 45 P; 108/91 [56] References Cited UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 3,124,254 3/1964 Davidson ..224/48 X FOREIGN PATENTS ORAPPLICATIONS 700,406 12/ 1964 Canada ..224/48.3

Primary Examiner-Gerald M. Forlenza Assistant Examiner-Jerald M.Forsberg Attorney-George B. White ABSTRACT A tray with a pivot supportin each comer with carrying handles on the opposite ends of the traybeing foldable on said pivots to the bottom of the tray and which can beextended into upright position for carrying a loaded tray. Each endstructure for the pivots forms a downwardly open nesting pocket and anupwardly extended nesting flange so formed that the trays with thefolded handles can be nested one on top of the other. Each pivot is sopositioned relatively to the handle and the bottom of the tray that thepivot flange of the handle bears against the bottom in the uprightposition. Each handle has a central opening with opposite curved edgeflanges to form a grip, and in the preferred form has a bracing flangeadapted to the clamp over the top nesting flange of the adjacent endmember.

9 Claims, 16 Drawing Figures PATENTEDHAR 14 I972 SHEET 1 [1F 5 INVENTOR,WA PEEL! E. WISECAPVEE A TTOEA/EY PAIENTEUMAR 14 I972 SHEET 2 [IF 5INVENTOR. WAEZZA/ Z. MSECAZVEZ j ZZZ 6 ATTORNEY PAIENTEDMAR 14 m2 SHEET3 OF 5 INVENTOR. WARREN 2. WISECAEVEE JTTOEA/EY PATENTEUMAR 14 I972 3,648 909 sumunFs 5.1a .Elfi.

INVENTOR. MERE 2. "7556A ZVEZ Arrow/er PAIENIE M 1 4 1972 3 648 9 O 9SHEET 5 OF 5 INVENTOR. WAEEZA/ Z. M5C4EV5Z A TTOEAJE) CARRYING TRAYBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The general type of carrier tray withfoldable handles is shown in patent of Widenhofer U.S. Pat. No.l,006,328, and of Barefoot US. Pat. No. 2,747,748 showing two types offoldable handles on such carrier trays. The disadvantages of the priortrays are that they are not adapted to carry taller articles, such asmilk cartons, and the various moving parts project in such a manner asto wear or damage the cartons adjacent to them. Furthermore, the handlesare not biased outwardly so as to be suitably braced to render themfirmer to support stacked trays in extended or upright positions of thehandles.

The advantages of the present invention are the pivot support for thehandles in such a manner that the parts do not rub or wear and damagepackages such as milk cartons and wherein the end members forming theparts of the pivot support also form the top and bottom nests fornesting the collapsed carrier trays securely and the top nest is adaptedto be engaged by the adjacent handle in the upright position so as tohold and brace the handle which latter is biased outwardly. The topportion of each handle is formed into a grip and fits into the bottom orlower nest of the end member so as to nest the loaded trays stacked oneupon the other securely, firmly pressed, and positively prevented frominward movement or collapsing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a perspective view of apreferred form of the carrier tray partly in section.

FIG. 2 is a fragmental cross-sectional view of trays stacked on oneanother.

FIG. 3 is a fragmental sectional detail of the end member with the topand bottom pockets.

FIG. 4 is a fragmental face view of one ofthe end members.

FIG. 5 is a fragmental sectional view of one of the pivots of thehandle.

FIG. 6 is a fragmental top view of the tray itself.

FIG. 7 is a fragmental side view of the tray member itself.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken on lines 88 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view the section being taken on lines 9-9 of FIG.7. FIG. 10 is a perspective fragmental view of one end ofa modified formof the tray.

FIG. 11 is a sectional fragmental view of the pivot support for themodified form.

FIG. 12 is a detailed view of the end member of the modified form.

FIG. 13 is a fragmental face view of the end member of the modifiedform.

FIG. 14 is a sectional fragmental view of the modified form of the traysstacked attitude.

FIG. 15 is a sectional detailed view of one of the handles of themodified form.

FIG. 16 is a fragmental face view of the handle shown in FIG. 15.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION In the preferred form of the tray there is a bottom1 formed with suitable spaced longitudinal ribs 2. Longitudinal sides 3are also provided with suitable reinforcing ribs 4. At each end of eachside 3 there is provided pivot support 6 to pivotally support a handle7. Each handle 7 is provided with a pivot flange 8 along eachperpendicular edge thereof in the upright position of the handle 7. Thepivoted end 9 of each pivot flange 8 is enlarged into a bearing portionto accommodate a pivot 11, which latter in turn extends through theadjacent portion of the side 3 near the adjacent corner of the tray.Each pivot 11 is spaced from the abutment end 12 ofthe pivot end 9 ofthe pivot flange 8 about the same distance as the distance between thepivot and the bottom 1 of the tray so that in the upright position ofthe handle the abutment end 12 abuts the tray bottom I at each cornerthereby to transmit the load of stacked trays from the respective pivots11 to the reinforced bottom 1 of the tray.

The pivot support also includes an end member I3 which extends alongeach transverse edge of the tray bottom I. Each end member 13 has apivot flange I4 at each end thereof welded to the inside face of theadjacent end of the longitudinal side 3 so as to accommodate the pivotll therein and thereby to reinforce the pivot bearing.

Each end member 13 includes an end strip 16 with a bottom flange 17extended along the underside of the ribbed bottom I and being fixedlyheld in place, for instance by welding. From the top of the end strip 16extends a spacer flange 18 outwardly of the tray and has a substantiallyperpendicular upward flange 19. To the outside of the upward flange l9and spaced from the end strip 16 is secured a longitudinal plate 21, aportion of which forms a downward flange 22 opposite to and spaced fromthe end strip 16 to form a bottom next 23. The upper portion of theplate 21 forms an upward wall 24 entending considerably above the endstrip 16 to form the top nest. The upper end of the wall 24 has aseating flange 26 bent from its upper edge back toward the tray andsubstantially parallel with the spacer flange 18.

As shown in FIG. 2 in the collapsed position of the handles 7, thebottom pocket 23 of the stacked tray is in engagement with the top ofthe wall 24 and the seating flange 26 so that the upper tray is securelyheld in stacked position.

Each handle 7 has a comparatively large substantially rectangularopening 31 cut out. The top edge of each handle 7 is bent over towardthe tray, and the adjacent edge of the opening 31 is bent oppositelyupwardly. The curved grip flanges 32 form a suitable rounded hand gripfor carrying the tray by its handles. The upper grip flange 32 can benested in the bottom nest 23 of the next stacked tray as shown in FIG.2. Reinforcing or bracing flanges 33 extend outwardly of the tray fromthe perpendicular edges of the opening 31 and are tapered so as toterminate in a clamping flange 34 spaced from the pivot 11 the samedistance as the vertical distance between the seat flange 26 and thepivot 11 so that in the upright position the clamping flange 34 rests onthe seating flange 26. A lip 36 on the outer edge of the clamping flange34 is so spaced from the face of the handle 7 that it tightly springsover the outer edge of the seating flange 26 thereby clamping the handlein upright position. The perpendicular pivot flanges 8 are slanted so asto converge upwardly toward the top of each handle 7 thereby to bias thehandle 7 outwardly of the tray. The load of stacked trays in the uprightposition of the handles 7 is transmitted through the bottom pocket nest23 on to the nesting flange 26 and the load on the handle is alsotransmitted through the flange 34 on to the seating flange 26 thereby todistribute the strain and stress more or less evenly on the strongestand most reinforced portions of the tray.

The modified form of the tray shown in FIGS. 10 to 16 inclusive has ahandle 41 on which the edge or pivot flanges 42 are so formed that thehandle is slanted outwardly of the tray and the bearing end of eachflange is pivoted substantially in the manner heretofore described. Eachend piece 43 has a bottom flange 44 welded to the adjacent bottom I ofthe tray and has an end wall 46 extending along the adjacent end of thetray so slanted as to be engaged by the correspondingly slanted edge ofthe pivot end of the flange 42. From the upper end of the wall 46extends outwardly a spacing flange 47 on which can be seated a bottomflange 44 of the next stacked tray. On the upper end of the spacingflange 47 is a nest member 48 which is substantially semicircular incross section so as to form a nest which can be nested on the top gripflange 32. The end wall 46 also has pivot flanges 49 extended over theadjacent longitudinal sides 3 to accommodate the outer end of the pivot11.

Iclaim:

1. In a carrying tray having a tray portion with sides and foldablehandles at opposite ends of the tray portion,

the improvement of a pivot support in each corner of the tray portion,comprising an end strip substantially at right angles to the adjacentside forming said corner, said end strip extending along the adjacentend of the tray,

a flange along each edge of each handle,

a bearing portion on the end of each flange adjacent said corner,

a pivot spaced from the adjacent end and extended through said side andthrough said bearing portion of said handle flange at said corner,

said handle being foldable about said pivot away from said end andinwardly of the tray thereby to lie above the bottom of the tray infolded attitude,

a top nesting flange on the outside of each end strip,

a coacting nesting flange facing toward the bottom of each end beingnestable on a similar top nesting flange of another tray,

a nesting portion of each handle adapted to be nested in the uprightposition of said handle on said coacting nesting flange of a traystacked thereon,

said edge flanges being so formed relative to the top of the respectivehandles as to direct the stacked load on the handle outwardly relativeto the adjacent tray end.

2. The improvement specified in claim 1, and

said pivot being spaced from the bottom end of said bearing portion inthe upright position of said handle to about the same distance as fromthe bottom of the tray whereby the bottom edge of the handle flangebears against the bottom of the tray in said upright position of thehandle.

3. The improvement specified in claim 2, and

said coacting nesting flange forming a pocket on the outside of theadjacent end and being open toward the bottom.

4. The improvement specified in claim 1, and

said top nesting flange and said coacting nesting flange including aspacer flange extended from each end strip outwardly,

a substantially perpendicular wall extended upwardly from said spacerflange so as to project to above said end strip,

and a wall extended downwardly from said spacer flange spaced from saidend strip to form a nesting pocket.

5. The improvement specified in claim 4, and

a top nesting flange extending from said substantially perpendicularwall,

and clamping means extended from said handle for engagement with saidtop nesting flange in the upright position of said handle.

6. The improvement specified in claim 5, wherein said clamping meansconsists of an outwardly extending horizontal flange with a lip alongits free edge adapted to be snapped over said top nesting flange therebyto hold and brace said handle.

7. The improvement specified in claim 5 and each handle having anopening,

cross-sectionally curved lips along the top of each handle and along thetop edge of said opening, curved oppositely toward one another andspaced so as to form a grip portion on said handle.

8. The invention specified in claim 7, and

said clamping means including,

a clamping flange extended outwardly from said handle in substantialregistry with and for engagement with said top nesting flange in theupright position of said handle thereby to hold and brace said handle insaid upright position,

and a clamping lip on said clamping flange adapted to be sprung oversaid top nesting flange.

9. The improvement specified in claim 8, and a bearing portion of eachend strip extending over the respective adjacent sides at said cornersforming part of the pivot supports.

1. In a carrying tray having a tray portion with sides and foldablehandles at opposite ends of the tray portion, the improvement of a pivotsupport in each corner of the tray portion, comprising an end stripsubstantially at right angles to the adjacent side forming said corner,said end strip extending along the adjacent end of the tray, a flangealong each edge of each handle, a bearing portion on the end of eachflange adjacent said corner, a pivot spaced from the adjacent end andextended through said side and through said bearing portion of saidhandle flange at said corner, said handle being foldable about saidpivot away from said end and inwardly of the tray thereby to lie abovethe bottom of the tray in folded attitude, a top nesting flange on theoutside of each end strip, a coacting nesting flange facing toward thebottom of each end being nestable on a similar top nesting flange ofanother tray, a nesting portion of each handle adapted to be nested inthe upright position of said handle on said coacting nesting flange of atray stacked thereon, said edge flanges being so formed relative to thetop of the respective handles as to direct the stacked load on thehandle outwardly relative to the adjacent tray end.
 2. The improvementspecified in claim 1, and said pivot being spaced from the bottom end ofsaid bearing portion in the upright position of said handle to about thesame distance as from the bottom of the tray whereby the bottom edge ofthe handle flange bears against the bottom of the tray in said uprightposition of the handle.
 3. The improvement specified in claim 2, andsaid coacting nesting flange forming a pocket on the outside of theadjacent end and being open toward the bottom.
 4. The improvementspecified in claim 1, and said top nesting flange and said coactingnesting flange including a spacer flange extended from each end stripoutwardly, a substantially perpendicular wall extended upwardly fromsaid spacer flange so as to project to above said end strip, and a wallextended downwardly from said spacer flange spaced from said end stripto form a nesting pocket.
 5. The improvement specified in claim 4, and atop nesting flange extending from said substantially perpendicular wall,and clamping means extended from said handle for engagement with saidtop nesting flange in the upright position of said handle.
 6. Theimprovement specified in claim 5, wherein said clamping means consistsof an outwardly extending horizontal flange with a lip along its freeedge adapted to be snapped over said top nesting flange thereby to holdand brace said handle.
 7. The improvement specified in claim 5 and eachhandle having an opening, cross-sectionally curved lips along the top ofeach handle and along the top edge of said opening, curved oppositelytoward one another and spaced so as to form a grip portion on saidhandle.
 8. The invention specified in claim 7, and said clamping meansincluding, a clamping fLange extended outwardly from said handle insubstantial registry with and for engagement with said top nestingflange in the upright position of said handle thereby to hold and bracesaid handle in said upright position, and a clamping lip on saidclamping flange adapted to be sprung over said top nesting flange. 9.The improvement specified in claim 8, and a bearing portion of each endstrip extending over the respective adjacent sides at said cornersforming part of the pivot supports.